College suspends investigation into former Charlottetown doctor

Grant Matheson says he no longer wishes to practice medicine so the investigation into his conduct has been stopped.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons has suspended its investigation into Dr. Grant Matheson because the doctor has not sought to regain his licence.

The college reported in October 2012 that it had suspended Matheson’s medical licence and was conducting an investigation into the doctor.

In late January, the college told The Guardian the lengthy investigation would likely wrap up within two months. On Tuesday, the college reported it has decided to suspend the investigation into Matheson due to the fact that the doctor is not seeking to regain his licence to practise.

Five years ago, Matheson’s licence to practise medicine was suspended for a series of infractions that included over-prescribing narcotics to a patient so that he could purchase them back for his own use.

A successful appeal of that ruling granted Matheson a conditional discharge, putting the doctor on probation for two years. In 2010, he met all the requirements of his probation.

In a candid interview with The Guardian at that time, Matheson admitted to struggling with addiction to the potent painkiller Dilaudid between 2003 and 2005.

The college did not offer any details on the nature of the most recent investigation into the doctor.

If Matheson was to apply to be licensed in the future, the application would be discussed with council at that time, notes the college.

As of late January, only about half of Matheson’s 1,400 to 1,500 patients from his former Charlottetown practice had found a new physician.

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Bill

April 09, 2014 - 22:27

Dr. Matheson is a great doctor, he treated my son and helped bring him back from illness, also; I have went through exactly what he has experienced. It is not up to anybody that hasn't gone through what we have to judge and point fingers unless they go through it. I may not have been a doctor, but in my occupation, I could have killed hundreds of people at a time, if I was "high"' the truth is, once addicted; you can't get "high" and the only reason a person keeps using is so that they don't get so horribly sick. Him and I have both recovered from this mess, I am just very very happy that a newspaper doesn't keep bringing up my past and wanting people to comment and judge. Those that want to point a finger, should look in the mirror first!!!! Let those without sin throw the first stone.

Dr. Matheson is an excellent doctor; I went to him after he is first suspension. He alway treated me with both respect and the ut most in professionalism, if I could have continued with him I certainly would have!
He is a very dedicated Doctor, and like so many other Islanders also lives with a serious addiction. The papers are full of articles on addiction and the need for more addiction services for Islanders.
What is to happen to the many Islanders both young and old; from all Socio-ecconomic backgrounds if once they were to complete their treatment they were not able to return to their previous profession? Yes I get the arguement that he could put potential patients in some sort of harms way. I firmly believe that once his treatment had been completed, that there would be a large number of Islanders who would form a cue to return to his care, and I would be as close to the front of the line as humanly possiable.
The Island really needs dedicated doctors, and here we are turning away one of the best that I have gone too, and I have been to a lot of doctors and professionals right accross Canada.
Anne

To Anne, who says: . "If he had any other position, arrangements would have been made so that he could continue to practice." Very few other positions hold a person's life in the balance.
It's not like he worked in a grocery store or was a high school teacher. This man is a drug addict. If he was treating patients while stoned, he put lives at risk. What if one of those patients was your child and he did something that caused them to die? Would you still be singing his praises?
To AD: You are absolutely right. The case needs to be completed for the reasons you listed. Well said.

To: The Observer
You obviously aren't aware of the compassion and care that goes behind a lot of addicts doors. I don't know any addicts/alcoholics as there are many in the medical profession(some in tx some not) who would not put their patients first. If Dr. Matheson had been a surgeon, it would be the same. I would rather having a caring, intelligent doctor who would do what needs to be done in order to help a patient. It is unfortunate that if he gets to gain full recovery from his illness that he has been shunned into giving up his practice . You must be from away...

Observer

April 09, 2014 - 14:56

To Anne, who says: . "If he had any other position, arrangements would have been made so that he could continue to practice." Very few other positions hold a person's life in the balance.
It's not like he worked in a grocery store or was a high school teacher. This man is a drug addict. If he was treating patients while stoned, he put lives at risk. What if one of those patients was your child and he did something that caused them to die? Would you still be singing his praises?
To AD: You are absolutely right. The case needs to be completed for the reasons you listed. Well said.

Dr.Matheson is a wonderful doctor who happens to have aproblem that many people have on this small island.There's not much help for anyone,and that's a shame!! Instead of criticising him,get him help,so he can work as a doctor again.

I'm wondering if he's not requested to renew his practice license at all or if he's moved on to another province. If he's ever planning to practice - here or anywhere - it would benefit BOTH the College AND Dr. Matheson to complete this investigation. Not doing this is a dis-service for all parties. If there were grounds for suspension, this case should be seen to its conclusion; anything less is irresponsible on the part of the College. If it means he is cleared - that's fine too. I'm not privy to why he was suspended, nor do I care; it just needs to be on record if some form of misconduct occurred so that other provinces can have a full disclosure if he applies to practice anywhere else in the future.

The Guardian should be ashamed at the bias and desparation they are showing by continuing to report this item. Continuing to quote the same, five-year old information shows not only poor editoral judgement, but lazy reporting. CBC knows the difference between gossip and news . If he isn't seeing patients, there is nothing the public needs to know. Get out there and find the real stories.

Doctors have rules of conduct & ethics to follow, too many doctors on PEI crossed that line and became "legal drug dealers" by over prescribing pain killers that were very addictive in spite of knowing the consequences. A decade ago, a few of these doctors had so many people hooked on pain killers that they were harassed and threatened constantly which lead to them having mental breakdowns and going on stress leave or quitting so they weren't around anyway Don. In the process, they hurt many families and the health care system costing tax payers a lot of unnecessary expenses

Dr. Matheson was an excellent doctor, I know that because I was a patient of his! It is too bad that some type of arrangements could not have been made to allow him to continue to practice medicine.
If he had any other position arrangements would have been made so that he could continue to practice. I became one of his patients after his first suspension and I considered myself very fortunate to have such a knowledgable and compationate doctor!
It saddens me to read that he is not going to practice medicine; as I for one would continue to see him if I could in a New York minute!
The Island has really lost not only an excellent Doctor, but a very compatisionate man as well! The state of health care on this Island cannot afford to loose this excellent doctor!
I wish Dr. Matheson every success in his next career!
Thank you, Dr Grant

If they were to keep him and harm was to come to one of his patient.THERE WOULD BE HELL TO PAY THE COLLEGE WOULD BE CALLED EVERY THING BUT HUMAN . Bite the " BULLET " and we can all keep on trying to help those on drugs .